Tag Archives: retirement

The Ups and Downs of 2010

2010 feels like it was a tough year, in some ways. I struggled to deal with various challenges at work and there was quite a bit of unhappiness associated with that. But I need to make sure that those stresses do not overshadow my whole assessment of this year. It was an excellent year in many significant ways.

Our first grandchild, Riley Landig, was born to my son and his partner! Isn’t he adorable?

Riley

My husband and I traveled to China for a week and then had a great visit with my daughter and her boyfriend who were teaching English in South Korea.

I found my childhood best friend on Facebook. We’d lost track of each other in our early 20’s. It turns out that she only lives about an hour away from us. We discovered that we both love beading and we still feel a close bond to one another. This has been such a happy suprise in our lives! We went to the Pacific Northwest Bead Festival together, in July.

My best friend, Lee Anne, in 2nd grade.

My jewelry was accepted into two juried art shows. I’d never applied to a juried show before this and I was so excited to get in. During 2010 I set up a new shop: Linda Landig Jewelry, (after my previous web host sold their business). A friend built a website for me that made me feel so professional: Linda Landig Contemporary Artisan Jewelry. I started my Facebook page, which now has close to 650 fans and in June, I started this blog.

Winter Fine Arts and Crafts Show. Olympia, WA

In June I retired from a 30 year career in elementary education and starting tomorrow (!), I will begin part-time work as a field supervisor of student teaching interns for the University of Washington.

Looking back on all of this, I would have to say that this a been a very full, rich and rewarding year. What have been some of the highlights of the past year for you?

Last week I retired from a 30 year career in education. I started out as a kindergarten teacher in Selah, WA in 1975. Over the years I have taught grades kindergarten through 4th. I’ve been a reading specialist, helping kids who struggled to decipher meaning in print. I later became a reading coach whose job it was to create systems and structures to support teachers as they implemented research based instruction in reading. When I retired I was doing similar work in the field a mathematics. I’ve taught in 4 different cities, some rural and some more urban, as well as in a tribal school for the Nisqually Indian Nation. I have been enriched by each of these experiences, but my heart will always be at Lincoln Elementary School in Toppenish, WA. I taught and later was a reading coach there for more than 20 years. Many of the teachers at Lincoln Elementary School are like family to me. We raised our kids together; watched those kids become adults and go off to make their own lives. We’ve laughed together and held each other through the tears. I would not be who I am today, professionally or personally if it weren’t for those precious friendships I made at Lincoln school.

Five years ago my husband and I moved away from the Yakima Valley and away from Lincoln School. It was the right move for many reasons, but it was also unbelieveably painful for me to leave Lincoln. Today I received a retirement card in the mail, signed by the staff of Lincoln School. Even though I’ve been gone for five years, they still sent me a card. I can’t begin to say how much this meant to me. My heart was so touched; I cried. I have been abundantly blessed to work with people who nurtured me and helped me to grow, people who cared and believed in me. My life has been rich indeed.